Shining in Shelby returns for third year

Friday afternoon a fleet of silver trailers, like a school of fish, were circled around the court square for the third Shelby Airstream rally.

The iconic American-made travel trailer, which debuted in the 1930s, has attracted a loyal fan base who travel all over the country from Key West to the California coast and even into Canada.

For the past three years, they have converged on Shelby during the Shining in Shelby rally to enjoy the historic uptown area, listen to a concert on the Earl Scruggs Center's lawn, and dine and shop at local establishments.

An avid Airstream fan and a member of the Carolinas Airstream Club, local architect Roger Holland organized the rally with plans to hold the first one in uptown Shelby in 2020. COVID-19 postponed it a year, but the rally was a success in 2021 and 2022. He said this year, there are 29 attendees, the most they’ve had yet with a waiting list of 15 more.

Holland and his wife parked their Airstream - the smallest one there at 19 feet - along the court square under the shade of the trees.

He said half of the people at this year's rally have also attended the past two and loved it so much they returned this year.

"It's like a classic car club," Holland described it.

The rally started in Hanna Park and received a police escort to the court square Saturday morning.

"The city has been very, very receptive," Holland said. "There is no expense to the city, it's all privately done, but they allow us to do this."

He said it's also good for the uptown area as the visitors dine and shop at local businesses.

The attendees have all kinds of airstreams, including three rare motorhomes and a 1970 Airstream that has been fully restored.

All of the participants are part of the Carolinas Airstream Club. One couple drove from the very far reaches of the Outer Banks. Others came from Asheville, the Raleigh area and Virginia.

Holland said most of the people are older, and it attracts all kinds of unique and interesting characters.

Frank Dibona, from Asheville has gained fame and admirationh in the Airstream world and beyond for his Photoshop mash-ups of famous pieces of art with Airstreams. Dibona said he has loved photography since he was a child and had a darkroom at 11 years old. He eventually switched over to digital which opened new creative worlds for him.

Dibona will be doing a presentation of some of his works of art - which he doesn't call art - on the court square.

A retired physician, he said one day he was looking at the famous Michelangelo painting called The Creation of Adam with God reaching down pointing a finger at the first man and decided to replace Adam with a silver Airstream.

Since then, he's created hundreds of humorous mash-ups of famous works of art.

There is Andrew Wyeth's Christina's World with the woman crawling in the field toward a distant Airstream and Georges Seurat's Sunday Afternoon with the iconic travel trailer in the background. There is The Girl with the Airstream Earrings and Noah's Airstream.

"Just fun stuff," Dibona said.

Lynne Wilson, from Corolla beach at the outer banks, said this is a return visit for her.

"I absolutely love Shelby," she said. "Shelby is one of my favorite places on earth. There is a spirit in Shelby you don't find in many places on earth."

Ann and David Broad came from Raleigh with their 2018 Flying Cloud airstream and have enjoyed seeing the Earl Scruggs Center. Ann Broad is distantly related to Earl Scruggs and they heard him play many years ago.

"This is really unique for us," David Broad said.

Holland said he had seen photos and stories of urban rallies and how they have been used as an economic tool in towns that were drying up and needed a boost. When he and his wife got their airstream they attended a rally in York, SC, and were impressed with how kind and giving the people were.

"We saw it and it was so cool and I thought if we could set them around the court square how neat would that be," Holland said. "I’m a lifelong Shelby resident. I have a vested interest in this town."

After the first rally, it worked out so well and everyone enjoyed it so much they planned two more. Holland said it's not an annual event - with parking at a premium uptown they don't want to wear out their welcome - but it will be returning in 2025.

Reporter Rebecca Sitzes can be reached at [email protected].